ITC Targets Electronics Giants In Battery Patent Probe

Law360 (April 24, 2007, 12:00 AM EDT) -- The U.S. International Trade Commission has said it will investigate allegations of patent infringement related to rechargeable battery technology by 11 companies, including Japanese electronics giants Sony and Sanyo.

The commission voted to launch the probe following a complaint last month by U.S. chemicals giant 3M Co., which claimed the companies were violating provisions of the U.S. Tariff Act by importing certain rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that infringed its patents.

The complaint, filed March 7 and amended April 11, called on the ITC to block U.S. imports...